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Nature and Science February 2026 |
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The Story of CO₂ Is the Story of Everything: How Carbon Dioxide Made Our World
by Peter Brannen
Science journalist Peter Brannen elucidates the role of carbon dioxide on Earth, explaining the paradox that this substance is both an essential part of the carbon life cycle and the reason that our climate is in trouble. Brannen’s book is both alarming and fascinating and makes clear that it is only in the last couple of centuries that human activity has pushed the CO₂ equation out of balance. Read-alike: Elemental: How Five Elements Changed Earth’s Past and Will Shape Our Future by Stephen Porder.
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| Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research by Melanie D.G. KaplanJournalist Melanie D.G. Kaplan was curious about her beloved rescue beagle Alexander Hamilton -- a.k.a. Hammy -- and his past as a test subject in an animal research lab. In the course of exploring Hammy’s history and the ways animals are used in biomedical research, product testing, and veterinary training, Kaplan poses thorny questions about ethics and animal rights in her moving debut. For more on these issues, try Justice for Animals: Our Collective Responsibility by Martha C. Nussbaum. |
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When Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America's Black Botanical Legacy
by Beronda L. Montgomery
Award-winning plant biologist Beronda L. Montgomery explores the ways seven trees -- as well as the cotton shrub -- are intertwined with Black history and culture. She reveals how knowledge surrounding these trees has shaped America since the very beginning. As Montgomery shows, trees are material witnesses to the lives of enslaved Africans and their descendants.
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| Tigers Between Empires: The Improbable Return of Great Cats to the Forests of Russia... by Jonathan C. SlaghtIn conservation biologist Jonathan C. Slaght’s Tigers Between Empires, he describes a coordinated effort between Russian and American scientists to rescue the wild tigers of the Amur River basin -- a forested area straddling Russia and China -- from unchecked hunting and habitat loss. After decades of work, the population of these magnificent predators is robust and growing. For fans of: The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant. |
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| The Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind by Simon WinchesterAuthor and journalist Simon Winchester presents a celebration of wind. Drawing fascinating references from science, engineering, and literature, Winchester is clearly enraptured by this natural force, evidenced by his vivid depictions of its role in civilization’s destruction (typhoons, tornadoes, wildfires) and salvation (wind-powered energy solutions). This is a captivating ode to elemental nature in the vein of Cynthia Barnett’s Rain: A Natural and Cultural History. |
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The Company of Owls: A Memoir
by Polly Atkin
An observant, lyrical memoir exploring what owls can teach us about nature, chronic illness, and ourselves.
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Better Living Through Birding: Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World
by Christian Cooper
What it is: an engaging memoir from birder and activist Christian Cooper, whose Central Park encounter with a white dog walker went viral in 2020.
Read it for: Cooper's love for the natural world; insights on how his hobby informs his experiences as a gay Black man; tips for birdwatching.
Media buzz: Cooper is the host of the National Geographic Wild series Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper.
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| The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne by Chris SweeneyJournalist Chris Sweeney's richly detailed debut profiles pioneering forensic ornithologist and Smithsonian Institution taxidermist Roxie Laybourne (1910-2003), who utilized her avian expertise to solve murders, investigate poaching activities, and inspect bird-related plane crashes, the latter of which led to aircraft safety reforms. For fans of: The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson. |
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The Backyard Bird Chronicles
by Amy Tan
Mapping the passage of time through daily entries, thoughtful questions and beautiful original sketches, the best-selling author of The Joy Luck Club shares her search for solace which turned into an opportunity to connect with nature in a meaningful way and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired. Illustrations.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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